Lomax Turvin, 78, of Bartow, Florida passed away February 16, 2024, at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. He was born on January 26, 1946, in Jack, Alabama to Fletcher and Ireta Turvin.
Lomax is survived by his wife of 27 years Della Turvin, son, Lawrence Turvin, two daughters, two stepchildren, three brothers, three sisters, 12 grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by both parents and one brother.
Lomax served in the US Army and was stationed in Germany and served in the Korean War. He had a passion for fishing.
Dorothy “Dotsy” De Gennaro, aged 58, passed away on February 18, 2024. She was born in Bay Shore, NY and raised in West Islip, NY. After traveling for many years, while working for Club Med she eventually moved to Gilbert, Arizona and lived her last 5 years in Davenport, Florida. Dorothy was a licensed hairdresser and worked for several years as hostess for Club Med, where she enjoyed living and working in several countries. She leaves behind her sister Elizabeth, brothers Thomas, Richard and Edward and their spouses. She also leaves behind her niece Samantha and nephews Kyle and Nicholas. A visitation will be held at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City, Florida on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm, with a service immediately following. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her memory to the American Heart Association.
According to the Florida Hwy Patrol a Winter Haven truck driver was involved in a fatal crash in Glades County near East Pony Place. The FHP reports that around 4:20am a Mississippi man (27) was driving a Dodge Charger was traveling East on the outside lane, traveling directly behind a Semi-truck with Trailer, driven by a 39 yr old Winter Haven man. As the Semi-truck with Trailer began to slow for the changing of the posted speed limit (45 mph to 35 mph) the Charger failed to ensure proper following distance and slow. The front of the Charger collided with the rear trailer portion of Semi-truck with Trailer.
The driver of the Charger was pronounced deceased on scene. The crash remains under investigation.
*Editors Note: The FHP does not release names of victims pursuant to Marsy’s Law.
Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation Receives $2K Donation from HCA Florida Brandon Hospital
by James Coulter
Since its inception nearly three years ago, Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation has donated and installed more than 30 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) across Polk County.
Making such generous donations requires plenty of funding. Thankfully, this local organization recently received additional funding through a generous donation of its own from the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Florida Brandon Hospital.
Melanie Brown Culpepper attended a special presentation at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital on Tuesday, where she was presented a check for $2,000 for Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation.
Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation Receives $2K Donation from HCA Florida Brandon Hospital
Melanie was invited to the hospital to attend a presentation for Heart Awareness Month. She had been invited by Laura Stauter, Director of Communications and Community Engagement. According to Melanie’s post on Facebook, Stauter had been informed about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation by Crystal Rodriguez, someone Melanie had known since childhood.
“She happened to be here in Eagle Lake eating at Blackburn’s BBQ where she saw an AED that we had placed there,” Melanie wrote. “She went back to her work at Brandon Hospital and told the story to Laura, where Laura then had Spectrum Bay News 9 come out to do my story.”
Melanie started her organization nearly three years ago following the untimely death of her late fiancée Michael Culpepper, who passed away from cardiac arrest. Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar fate, she started her organization to donate and install AEDs across Polk County.
Since its inception, Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation has installed more than 30 AEDs in businesses and establishments across the county including Tanner’s Lakeside, Caribbean Bay, and Old Man Franks. Their most recent AED donation was to the Lake Wales VFW last week.
“This was all such a blessing,” she said. “I’m proud to know that my story and [organization] is now getting out there to other communities in hope to save lives [by] placing AEDs throughout, not just in my own community, but to other communities as Saving Lives.”
Interestingly enough, Michael Culpepper’s sister, Rebecca Culpepper Gustafson, had worked at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital on the Heart floor, and she graciously attended Melanie’s presentation, Melanie wrote.
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Melanie thanked her current fiancée, Brian Beilke, for participating with her organization and assisting her with AED donations and installations.
“Thank you, Brian Beilke, for being here today by my side and through it all,” she said. “Also a huge thank you to Laura from HCA and Courtney & Brittany from American Heart Association for this donation to Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation. It means so much to me in hope to save others as Saving Lives Matters.”
To learn more about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper
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Tacos, Chili, and Rum Cocktails: Just a Taste of Taste of Winter Haven 2024
by James Coulter
Homemade sirloin chili. Topped with cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. Served alongside warm bread pudding with bourbon sauce. And to drink, a rum cocktail made with light and dark rum.
Does this sound like a good bite to eat worth waiting in line twice for? Well, Beth Nunez of Lucille’s American Cafe can attest to that. She saw several attendees at this year’s Taste of Winter Haven do exactly that at her serving table.
“We had a lot of people come by the booth twice, a lot of familiar faces and regular customers, as well as some new friends,” she said. “I think it was a great turnout. I think it was packed. I think we had a long line for a long while, And a lot of the other vendors did as well.”
Lucille’s American Cafe was one of the several dozen local eateries that served good eats at this year’s Taste of Winter Haven, a fundraiser hosted by the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce at Venue 650.
“I think it is a great event for the community to come together and be able to experience all of the different businesses have to offer,” Nunez said.
Other food choices that evening included garlic parmesan wings from Duke’s Winghouse, blueberry scones from Richard’s Fine Coffee, and birria and fish tacos from the Elite Catering Company.
Chef G of Inner G Cafe served red bean hummus and chickpea salad, along with blueberry lemonade and tea, as some of the selections from her vegan, plant-based menu. She assumed her vegan food would not be popular that evening, yet she ended up having a hard time serving enough food that evening.
“It has been amazing and just unexpected,” she said. “Everyone has been open-minded trying the food. I am so excited. It is exceeding expectations. It is great to see new faces. A lot of people do not know about us, so any opportunity for networking I am down for.”
This year’s event managed to sell out with more attendees than ever, having sold more than 500 tickets, said Sara Beth Wyatt, President and CEO of the Winter Haven Chamber. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Chamber and its many services and programs for the local community.
“All of our local restaurants jump in and participate,” she said. “We are truly able to give everyone a real taste of Winter Haven and all we have to offer in our community of culinary ventures. We are excited to have this event back next February, and we cannot wait to see everyone again in 2025.”
This year was the first for Eric Coley and his barbecue team Poppa Pig to compete in the Grills Gone Wild competition at Davenport. Lucky for him, for this being his first year, his team won the grand title of Grand Champion.
Most other champions would credit their success to the way they smoke their meat, or to their rub, or to the quality of their meat. However, despite his victory, Coley remained humble and owed his success to the one who grants good fortune.
“I owe everything to God,” he said. “Without him, I am nothing. I am blessed to be here.”
Coley decided to attend this year’s competition as it was one of the “gems” in the Triple Crown branch of the Florida barbecue scene. As for being able to win his very first year attending, the victory was nothing short of surprisingly satisfactory.
“It feels pretty good,” he said. “We have been on a streak this year so far, and we are blessed. Without God, none of this would have been possible. I know it wouldn’t have. We have just been staying consistent.”
Aside from owing his success to the Good Lord, Coley also remained humble in his victory by admitting that everyone else did a great job cooking and preparing their barbecue and could have easily won.
“I don’t think it is any product you can use,” he said. “At the end of the day, I think anyone who cooks out here, what they make tastes the same. It is the love you put behind it. You have to love this to do this because it is a hobby but it is a very special hobby. So you just have to put the time and the love and care behind it. I am very passionate about it.”
Paul Buob and his team Smoking Ghost BBQ won the title of Reserve Champions. As with Coley, this year was his first time attending and competing in Grills Gone Wild.
“We were going to try to do a three or four competition tour of Florida,” he said. “My mother-in-law, her 95th birthday is next week. So it is a great reason to come down.”
Their win came as quite a pleasant surprise. He owes his success to Smoke and Ghost Haunted Heat Sauce, a commerciallyavailable hot sauce that adds a “sneaky” heat to any kind of food.
“It feels pretty awesome,” he said. “We did not see it coming. I think everyone else must have slipped up for us to win.”
Grills Gone Wild was hosted at the Tom Fellows Community Center in Davenport last Saturday. Nearly 41 teams participated in this year’s event, which had shifted into a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS)-sanctioned competition.
This year’s event was a “gem” within the Triple Crown competition. The next event within that competition will be Ribs on the Ridge, being hosted this Saturday at Haines City.
“The turnout has been fantastic,” said Dustin Bleiweiss, Parks and Rec Superintendent of the City of Davenport. “We did not know what to expect, but with the feedback from the public, and from the competitors. There were minimal to no issues.”
Bleiweiss owed the event’s success to the support it receives from the community: “With them showing up and supporting us, it encourages us to come and be out here. So, for them to be here, we are here to put Davenport on the map; and with the teams traveling the continent, we are here to support them and grow our competition.”
It’s About Time! SyFy Bartow Hosting Time Travel-Themed Convention This Saturday
by James Coulter
photos provided by Sean Serdynsk
Set your calendars and clocks. Fire up the Tardis. And get readyto go 88mph on your DeLorean. Because you’ll want to make it in time for SyFy Bartow this Saturday. This year’s theme for SyFy Bartow will be “It’s About Time!”, with the convention themed to all things time travel like Back to the Future, Doctor Who, The Terminator, and Time Cop.
Hundreds of vendors will be lined up along Main Street and the adjoining streets in Downtown Bartow in this unique annual outdoor sci-fi convention. The event is free and open to the public, and cosplayers are always welcome to attend and compete in the costume contest.
SyFy Bartow will also include other activities and festivities including a sci-fi-themed car show. Also appearing at this year’s event will be Jack O’Halloran, the actor who played the henchman Non in Superman II.
Sean L. Serdynski has been hosting SyFy Bartow for more than a decade. He themed his second event nearly 10 years ago to time travel, so he thought re-theming this year’s event to time travel would be a fitting throwback to one of their original events, he said.
Serdynski has been attending and participating in sci-fi conventions for nearly 40 years. He attended his first convention 38 years ago. He helped a convention promoter that focused his shows on the television program, Star Trek. Sean quickly became the entertainment and panel coordinator and worked with VulKon for over 20 years.
For close to 20 years, with his wife, Lori, Sean has owned their entertainment company SLS Entertainment, which hosts car shows, karaoke events, weddings, and anything that requires a DJ. Two years ago, they started Bartow Con to help continue hosting SyFy Bartow along with other conventions across the state.
Sean decided to start his outdoor convention, SyFy Bartow, for two reasons: first, to draw traffic and attention to the Downtown Bartow area, and, second, to provide a free event that was open to the public and that anyone could attend without spending a dime. He owes much convenience to its overall success this past decade.
“I think the biggest draw is [being able to attend] without having to pay to get in,” he said. “I never intended SyFy Bartow to be something you had to pay to go to because we built SyFy Bartow for the fans. It pains me to see people pay thousands of dollars for them to go to these giant—I call them ‘box store conventions’–and they don’t have any money to spend with the vendors because they spent so much getting inside. So now my guests have money to spend if they want to buy that Pokémon figure or the GI Joe or the lightsaber or whatever they have that extra money, and that is why I think SyFy Bartow has been a success even after a decade.”
SyFy Bartow will be hosted in Downtown Bartow this Sat. Feb. 17 from 11 AM – 6 PM. For more information, visit their website at bartowcon.com.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Donates 4-Wheeler to Local Organization That Helps Horses
by James Coulter
A local organization that helps abandoned, neglected, and abused horses can continue to help its steeds in need thanks to a generous donation by Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc.
On Friday afternoon, the Honorable Sheriff Grady Judd made an appearance at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven to donate a new four-wheel vehicle to its facility.
The four-wheel vehicle will be used to conduct various errands at the facility, including checking on its horses to transporting feed, hay, and other equipment around the property.
“When we have a facility of this size, we need the right equipment to do our job efficiently, and Polk County Sheriff Charities have donated this equipment for us,” said Dani Horton, Founder and President of Hope Equine Rescue.
Hope Equine Rescue is a local 501 c3 non-profit organization that assists horses in need. Currently, more than 40 to 50 horses are being boarded at their facility.
The organization was named after Hope, one of the first horses it had rescued. According to their website: “Hope was tied to a tree with a dog chain and left to starve in a neighborhood where neighbors drove by her every day and never did anything to help.”
Hope Equine Rescue works closely with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), especially with its animal control division, to accept horses that have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. In turn, PCSO donates funds and other items the organization requires through Polk County Sheriff’s Charities.
“Being able to facilitate this and get the job done, to be able to manage a farm this size, we need all this stuff to make sure we get our job done efficiently so we can get these horses taken care of and adopted out into the community,” Horton said. “So, we are so thankful we can work with a county that understands that animal neglect is not okay, and makes sure these animals are taken care of, and placed in a facility where we can take care of them and live out their lives, and make sure they are not neglected again. We are all appreciative of that.”
Sheriff Grady Judd presented the new vehicle and its keys to Horton during his press conference at Hope Equine Rescue on Friday. He owed his ability to donate the new vehicle to the generous donations made through Polk County Sheriff’s Charities, which does everything from giving Christmas presents to at-need children and providing shelter and care to previously incarcerated women.
Sheriff Grady Judd and Dani Horton of New Hope EquineMaria Catello, Deputy Sheriff
“We donate literally hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the community every year,” he said. “We are able to do that because of the fundraisers and the generous community that works with us…I want to see a tangible return with our community with our charity money.”
Sheriff Judd also used the opportunity during the press conference to address a hit-and-run incident that occurred earlier that morning where a vehicle had stuck a homeless person.
New Local Agricultural T-Shirt and Merchandise Company Launches in Polk County
By Allison Williams
Garrison Life LLC is a t-shirt and merchandise company inspired by the agricultural and grower community. Joe Garrison, founder and owner of Garrison Life is dedicated to making a difference in the community with his newly launched company.
Garrison Life LLC
“What we hope to accomplish here is to bring recognition to our agriculture community,” Garrison said. “I’m also a citrus grower myself. The shirts we offer will hopefully inspire people to eat citrus, strawberries and blueberries.”
When making a purchase from Garrison Life, you are contributing to a great cause. “We give some of the money from our shirts and other products to my local non-profit,” Garrison said.
Garrison runs a non-profit organization raising chickens, and every egg is given to charities in the county to feed the hungry and less fortunate. He donates the eggs to churches, food banks and other organizations in need.
Along with the agricultural merchandise, Garrison Life also offers Judd Life apparel. Though these shirts are for fun, they go much deeper than that, as Garrison explains their underlying meaning.
“If you do drugs or sell drugs, you know you’re going to be put in jail, and that’s right where you need to be,” he said. “I can tell you through personally knowing Grady Judd, it is his sole mission every day when he wakes up to protect our kids, protect our elderly, and rid this county of drugs.”
He wants to remind everyone to stay vigilant. If you see something, say something. A percentage of the Judd Life sales goes right back into the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Charities.
“This money that we raise for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Charities goes directly to help physically and sexually abused young women,” Garrison said. “The money goes toward rehabilitation and counseling of these women. It is important for me to empower young women to be independent, strong and not be dependent on anyone except for themselves because they too can be future business leaders in our community. How did I come to that conclusion? Well, I have a beautiful daughter and I also have 16 of the strongest most independent women working for me that you will ever find.”
Raven Mundy created the images for the Judd Life merchandise. She actually created these images from press conferences that Grady Judd had. She says the shirts are a way to honor the amazing job our sheriff does to keep our citizens safe.
Judd Life T-shirtJudd Life Hat
Every purchase with Garrison Life, whether it is an agriculture-based product or a Judd Life product, is meaningful and gives back to the community in some way.
Both Garrison Life and Judd Life are trademarked. Garrison, along with other team members worked hard to make this dream come to fruition. In addition to the images for Judd Life, Raven Mundy is also the creator of the Garrison Life website. She dedicated her time to perfecting the website. This business is important to her.
“I’m most proud because the agricultural business is installed in me,” Mundy said. “Garrison owns citrus and it is important for us to protect our agriculture because that’s how America eats.”
I was lucky enough to be the artist behind the strawberry and blueberry artwork, as well as the orange tree and lemon tree artwork. I agree with both Garrison and Mundy. The purpose behind Garrison life is extremely meaningful, and I am honored to have played a small part in this journey.
Blueberry LifeStrawberry LifeGrove Life
Garrison Life plans to expand its products, so stay tuned. You can find the current merchandise for sale here:
The youth is so important to our community and Garrison focuses on not only giving back to his community but also on supporting our youth.
“One of the goals here is educating the youth,” Garrison said. “The young people and teenagers who you see in the photos are actually working the business with me and working the booths. We are teaching them business skills and people skills that they need to learn.”
Mundy added, “Hopefully the images you see here will promote people to support agriculture more. The pictures were taken right here in Polk County at farms of our local ag producers.”
These young workers will be at an upcoming event working side by side with Garrison and Mundy.
Upcoming event:
Jeepin’ With Judd will take place Feb. 23-25 at Clear Springs Ranch in Bartow. Garrison Life staff members will be at the event selling merchandise to the attendees. They will also be launching a new Judd life shirt for the event.
Now what are you waiting for? Check out Garrison Life LLC and all it has to offer. You won’t be disappointed.
